Sister Anatolia Kopec, LSIC, 89, who spent more than 60 years as a dedicated religious in Poland, South Africa, Zambia and the United States – including at the Blessed Edmund Early Childhood Education Center in Cherry Hill – died July 7 at Saint Joseph Nursing Home in Woodbridge.
Sister Anatolia was born July 13, 1935, in Wola Rusinowska, Kolbuszowa County, Poland. She entered the Little Servant Sisters of The Immaculate Conception congregation in 1957, at age 22. She professed her first vows in 1961, and her final vows in 1964.
Initially, Sister Anatolia served the community as a culinarian in Krynica, Poland, from 1959 to 1966, after which she served in the missions in South Africa. While there, she served at the Mary Immaculate Children’s Center in Lyndhurst (a suburb in the City of Johannesburg). She completed courses in childcare that qualified her in nursery school education; she also took English courses with the Ursuline Sisters in Krugersdorp.
Remaining in South Africa until 1980, she next served at the Nunciature in Lusaka, Zambia. In 1982, she became local superior and preschool director in Kabwe.
In 1983, Sister Anatolia was transferred to her order’s American Province and Saint Joseph Senior Residence in Woodbridge.
She served in various capacities there: as chapel sacristan, office assistant and provincial councilor from 1987 to 2011; and local superior from 1994 to 2003 and again from 2005 to 2011.
In 2011, Sister Anatolia came to the Provincialate in Cherry Hill, where she assisted at her community’s Blessed Edmund Early Childhood Center as a teacher’s aide.
She then continued in prayer ministry, as a seamstress and wherever help was needed.
This year, illness led to her transfer to Saint Joseph Nursing Home in Woodbridge.
“Sister was known for her thoughtful attention to others, including people in need, and her love of spiritual books,” her community said in announcing her death.
Sister Anatolia is survived by her religious community; her sister, Anna, in Canada; and nieces and nephews in Canada and Poland.
A viewing will take place at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 11, at Saint Joseph’s Assisted Living Chapel, 1-3 Saint Joseph Terrace, Woodbridge. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m.
Interment will be at Saint Joseph Cemetery, 240 Lower Landing Road, Blackwood/Chews Landing.
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